1929: In partnership with Frank Lloyd Wright, Dr. A.J. Chandler makes plans to build the San Marcos in the Desert resort in "west Chandler" on the southern slope of South Mountain.
1930: The stock market crash and Great Depression end plans for the resort.
1949: International Harvester leases 1,920 acres of desert in the area that would eventually become Ahwatukee to build a proving grounds for farm machinery. It is later expanded to 4,140 acres.
1971: Presley Development Co. of Newport Beach, Calif., announces plans to build "a community for 23,000 residents" on the southern foothills of South Mountain in unincorporated Maricopa County. An undocumented agreement with Phoenix calls for the city to provide water and sewer and Presley promising to annex in the future.
1974-79: Presley approaches Tempe and Chandler about annexation but neither city agrees.
1980s: Home construction under way. Phoenix annexes a narrow strip along Interstate 10 which blocks annexation of Ahwatukee by Tempe or Chandler. Phoenix gradually annexes most of Ahwatukee.
1984: Del Webb buys the International Harvester proving grounds and spends about five years having the land graded to fill in the roads and trenches.
1985-1995: Housing exploods, population grows from estimated 20,300 to 62,800.
2010: Population tops 80,000.
This is the time of year that I most appreciate Arizona. As I listen to our Facebook friends and family comment on the latest blizzard or icy roads we gain appreciation for what we have in Arizona.
This last Sunday it seemed a little cool but we were still able to go on a hike in the mountains. We took our granddaughter Isabella (4) on her first hike into the mountains. What a treat to take a 4 year old for a hike and hear her excitement about the views, the rocks, cactus, the trail and discuss some of the animals that live in the desert. It was a perfect little hike; she rode my shoulders the last few hundred feet as her legs started to get tired. Of course as we approached the car in the parking lot the children’s playground gave her another burst of energy and off we were to the swings and monkey bars etc.
Perspective is everything I realize because when I say a little cool I think it stayed below 55 degrees on Sunday and we had to wear jackets, sweatshirts etc as we hiked. Yes I still had shorts on, of course I would have worn shorts in Iowa all winter long inside the house but this time I was outside hiking.
Arizona is such a wonderful climate for most of the year, yes it gets a little warm in the summer but that’s what A/C and swimming pools are for!
